A DEAL WITH THE OUTCAST

Odeya's POV

After leaving those cheaters last night, I rushed to report to my sick father.

Just as expected, he disagreed with my cancelling the wedding because it would call for an emergency meeting with the Pack councils and an uproar among the people.

I wept nonstop, unable to get a wink of sleep.

The words ringing in my head throughout the night were my father's weak voice repeatedly telling me. “Forgive him; he is a man and wouldn't do it again after marriage”

Is it that what those two did to me is not worthy of any punishment?

Besides, I have vowed to Mason, in Selene's presence, that I would not end up with him.

I will not allow them to win.

This morning, I had forced myself out of bed to bathe and get dressed.

Now, I am standing in front of the Duskbane family house, knocking on the giant gate for the past twenty minutes, but no one has answered.

I even called Mason's number, but there was no response.

“Do they know that I am the one standing here, and are knowingly refusing to open the gate because they found out about their son’s shameful act?” I sighed tiredly as I moved around the old gate to check for any hole I could use to peek inside.

I found one by the side and squinted to get a better look because it was too tiny.

I locked eyes with a huge figure who was a replica of my ex-fiancée. He was standing there, his arms folded across his chest.

“What…” My lips dropped in shock, and I flinched back in fear.

The moment the gate creaked open, I turned around to leave.

“Stop!” He called out.

I paused, then slowly turned to him. “Is there something you want from me?” I glared at him, taking a cautious step backward.

This environment is too quiet for me not to be scared.

There is no doubt that this is Mason's twin brother, Malik Duskbane, who had been at the center of a huge controversy five years ago after he was caught kissing another man.

I heard it was his family's bodyguard that he kissed then.

Such an act is considered taboo in this Pack, and he could have been killed according to the law, but his family's influence made the court pardon him.

They had disowned him and even kept him hidden away.

What is he doing here?

“There is no need for you to be rude.” His voice was so tight as he walked fully out of the gate.

This guy can break my bones into pieces if I annoy him more, but the fact that he was a Duskbane makes my skin curl.

“It was a question.” I rolled my eyes.

He ignored me and trailed his eyes up and down my form in a quick, fleeting glance.

“Didn't your fiancé tell you that he and his family don't live here anymore? What are you here for?” A mischievous smirk tugged at his lips as he raised his eyes back to my face.

Oh, he knows me.

“This place is commonly known as the Duskbane household, where they have lived for generations. So…”

“So what? Did he invite you here himself? He must think of you as a joke for not telling you where they are really located. You are getting married in two days, and you don't even know where your in-laws live?” He scoffed in disbelief as he cut me off mid-sentence.

Okay, I feel stupid.

“They have their estate where they live”

“Whatever.” I pressed my lips tightly and looked away.

“They have abandoned this land for the past five years,” he added.

My senses clicked that. “Was it after your…” I cracked my voice nervously. “Your issue?”

He stared at me blankly before nodding his head. “They believe it has been cursed by my forbidden act.”

Oh, that's bad.

My heart squeezed pitifully.

“Isn't that the reason why you think it was okay to be rude to me? You didn't see me as an in-law that is worthy of respect.” He smirked.

“Everything about the Duskbane disgusts my soul. Whatever sin you've committed in the past has nothing to do with my dislike for you, and I am not here to sympathize with you at all. You also need to know that you are not my in-law because I will not get married to your brother,” I fired back, watching how his body twitched at my last word.

“Brother?” He repeated after me, his brown eyes flashing with annoyance.

There is no doubt that this guy has a grudge against the rest of the family.

A deep kind of bad blood.

He is so strange too.

After his controversy, nobody spoke of him. It was as if he got wiped out of the surface of the earth.

This is the first time I am seeing him in my life, but I have heard so much about him.

In fact, one time I asked Mason about his twin brother, and he became extremely angry.

“You will not get married to Mason? Where is the sudden hatred coming from? And how is that possible when the world knows you are getting married to a Duskbane?”

“Oh, are you here to tell me that I shouldn't cancel it because it wouldn't benefit your power-hungry family, even though I caught him cheating with my stepsister?” I scoffed bitterly.

His eyebrows loosened a bit as he seemed to understand me now. “He messed up really bad,” he breathed low, his face brightening with a smug smile.

Is this guy crazy?

I watched him in silence as he turned to the side, stretching his hand inside the gate for me to enter.

“I shouldn't be keeping my guest standing at the gate like this. Why don't you have a little chat with me?” He spoke calmly, his eyelids twitching hideously.

“Over my dead body,” I spat, eyeing him as anger washed through my veins.

I turned around to leave, feeling very disappointed that everything I had planned for today wasn't going as I wanted, but I froze on the spot when his cold voice cut through the air.

“You came here to talk to your fiancé’s parents about calling off your wedding, probably after your father refused, right? You think you will be able to convince them, but no matter how much you threaten them that you will spread the news of what Mason did to the world and tarnish their reputation, you still will not be able to cancel the wedding. Aren’t you lucky that you met me instead, Odeya?”

The way he called my name with such measured calmness sent a shiver down my spine.

It isn't strange that he knows my name because everybody in the Pack knows the name of the Grand Alpha's daughter who is the future Luna.

Some might not be able to recognize me, though.

Was it that easy to guess my intention about planning to threaten the Duskbane family if they refuse to cancel the wedding?

I feel so naive.

“What luck are you talking about?” I frowned, turning back to him.

“You will need my help to deal with this situation, Moonflower.” His brown eyes twinkled.

“I don’t need any of Duskbane's help! And don’t ever call me that again.” I pointed a warning finger at him, trying to ignore the heat in my abdomen after hearing the name he had called me.

Like seriously, sweetheart?

My body only reacted like this when my now ex-mate used sweet names for me.

Why is there a similar case with this weirdo?

“I promise you that you will need my help,” He argued in a voice filled with so much confidence.

I laid down my pride to hear him out, folding my arms. “What is that about?”

“Come inside,” He offered.

“No.”

We stood there arguing until he realized that I was being cautious for my safety. “I wouldn't dare to harm the future Luna”

“Yes, but this future Luna,” I pointed to myself. “She has to be careful because no one will look out for her,” I said, feeling deeply hurt at that realization. “So many people can't wait for me to disappear from the surface of the earth.” I swallowed, eyes burning painfully.

I can't cry here.

“I need you, Odeya.” Malik stepped close as he took my hand. “As much as you need me”

I jerked my hand away when my fingers heated up.

I don't like this.

My shoulders dropped in defeat, and I allowed him to take me inside the building.

I looked around the compound as he locked the door; it was so eerily quiet but neat. “You have been staying here for the past five years?” I asked, unable to hide my curiosity as we stepped into the large living room.

“Yes.”

“If you have not been in contact with your family ever since you've been hiding, then how have you been feeding yourself?” I creased my eyebrows in confusion as I gently sat down on one of the couches.

“I am a grown man who works...” He shrugged his shoulders, sitting opposite me. “Only at night, when nobody can recognize me, and that is why I want to end this kind of lifestyle because it's too lonely and depressing”

There is more to this whole thing, but as I said before, I wouldn't be sympathizing with him for living this life.

He is still a Duskbane, and I can't trust him.

“How do you now plan to change your lifestyle? And how does that connect with me needing you?” I said, going straight to the point.

“Marry me,” He sighed, rubbing the tip of his tongue over the front of his lower teeth.

I felt my heart stop pumping blood to other parts of my body.

“You don't think I will ever be on the side of my family after the way they have treated me, right?” His eyes darkened.

I couldn't say a word as I was too shocked.

“You want to cancel the wedding because you caught your fiancé cheating, but it seems impossible for you because of the shame from people and family refusal. Why don't you make me your husband to save you from this trapped situation, and when people see us being romantic on your wedding day, they will have no choice but to think that I was falsely accused of being gay. They know I am a Duskbane and an Alpha, a perfect match for you,” He explained further.

"Of course, only the two of us will know that our relationship isn't real, and you will be able to raise your head with pride in the presence of those audacious cheaters," He added, giving me more reasons to take this offer.

I was silent for almost twenty minutes, unable to form a sentence.

This was a good deal, but any mistake can cost our lives.

He wants to change what society believes about him because they will automatically assume the accusation against him was false when they see us together.

“For how long are we going to fool people?” I choked, looking at those dangerously attractive brown eyes of his.

He adjusted himself on the couch, leaning closer before he answered quietly. “For as long as you want, Moonflower”

I felt that heat in my abdomen again.